The Dallas Cowboys are weighing aggressive trade-up scenarios ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, with one of the most compelling options involving a move to the No. 4 pick with the Tennessee Titans to land a top edge rusher.

Rumors surfaced over the weekend that Dallas had interest in jumping to No. 3 with the Arizona Cardinals, a scenario that gained traction after The Athletic's Bruce Feldman projected the Cowboys trading up for Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.

Tennessee presents a more realistic and mutually beneficial trade partner, and the roster situation at the Titans is what makes this projection work, per Locked On Cowboys podcasters.

According to Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool of the Locked On Cowboys podcast, the Titans are focused on picking players to work around their franchise quarterback, Cam Ward.

Also, if the players available at No.4 don't match the pressing needs of the Titans, then trading down and collecting more picks would be the smartest play for them.

The proposed structure would see Dallas send both first-rounders, being No. 12 and No. 20, to Tennessee in exchange for the No. 4 pick, with the Titans returning a Day 2 selection to balance the deal.

Tennessee's third round pick at No. 66 seems to be the most logical piece coming back.

Alternatively, their fourth-round pick at No. 101, the first selection of Day 3 (a spot most teams historically covet) paired with a future third-rounder could serve better, if negotiations don't fall through.

At No. 4, the target comes down to two names: Arvell Reese or David Bailey. Both are elite edge rushers who would immediately address Dallas' needs. Beyond those two, no other prospect justifies moving that far up the board.

Cowboys’ Edge Rusher Choice Divides Opinions Ahead of Draft

As a potential first-round pick, Arvell Reese caught everyone’s attention by running the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds at the NFL combine.

While NFL Analysts project him to be a Micah Parsons replacement, not everyone is sold on Reese.

“To me, you don’t have any brains in the National Football League if you don’t take (Texas Tech edge rusher) David Bailey ahead of Arvell Reese if you want a pass rusher,” noted Cowboys fan and former Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless in a video clip posted on his account on March 30.

Another potential first-round pick, David Bailey, has played 44 games, recording 149 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, and 27 sacks. His final season at Texas Tech saw career highs of 16 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks, placing him among the top three edge rushers in this year’s draft class.

As the draft nears, the debate between Arvell Reese and David Bailey puts the Dallas Cowboys in a tough spot. While Reese’s athletic upside has turned heads, Bailey’s proven production and consistency make a compelling case.

The decision may ultimately come down to which player the Cowboys believe can strengthen their defense moving forward. You can read more at the Dallas Cowboys Community!

Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote